1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a structure for mounting a sensor structure, and more particularly to a structure for mounting a sensor suitable for mounting in a cash handling machine, such as an automatic vending machine.
2. Prior Art
An automatic cash handling machine has a sensor for detecting cash being transported, which is installed on the cash transport path to confirm the cash which is thrown into the machine.
The sensor includes a sensor body incorporating a light emitter for emitting light to a transport path, and a light detector for detecting reflected light from a coin or a bill which passes through the transport path. The sensor body has a pair of projections rigidly structured and protruding outwardly from both sides thereof. A base frame member provided on one side of the transport path includes a pair of rising portions spaced apart from each other, each rising portion having engagement holes for accepting the above-mentioned projections.
When the projections provided on both sides of the sensor body are inserted between the rising portions by spreading out both rising portions, the pair of projections engage into the engagement holes of both rising portions. Consequently, the sensor body is supported by the base frame member in a predetermined position.
The sensor body can be removed from the base frame member by spreading out the pair of projections to disengage them from the engagement holes.
However, in the conventional sensor mounting structure mentioned above, when mounting or removing the sensor body on the frame member, the projections, formed rigidly on the sensor body, are made to engage into the engagement holes provided in the rising portions. Therefore to disengage the projections from the engagement holes, the rising portions need to be deformed to a relatively large extent in the direction in which the rising portions are moved away from each other. For this reason, the pair of rising portions are conventionally formed of members having adequate elasticity, such as a synthetic resin material, for example, but no means for preventing the rising portions from being excessively deformed is provided.
Accordingly, when mounting or removing the sensor body, there is a possibility that the pair of rising portions are excessively deformed. Hence, it has been required to improve the durability of the mounting structure, including the rising portions, by preventing excessive deformation of the rising portions.
In the conventional sensor mounting structure relying on the elasticity of the pair of rising portions, a space in which each rising portion deflects needs to be secured outside of the pair of rising portions. Therefore, the conventional structure is disadvantageous in terms of the available space when sensors are to be arranged with high density.